


And the Ocean Calls You Home

by boldlygoingnowherefast



Series: A Guide Through the Stars [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Protectiveness, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-12 10:52:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12957657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boldlygoingnowherefast/pseuds/boldlygoingnowherefast
Summary: The Resistance sends newly bonded Sentinel and Guide pair Poe and Finn on a scouting mission to a planet neither of them has been to. A mission that was supposed to be easy becomes complicated quickly, and by the end, their lives may be changed forever.Sequel toIf I Had Wings





	And the Ocean Calls You Home

**Author's Note:**

> It's been almost two years since I wrote _If I Had Wings_ and I started writing this sequel almost immediately afterward. It took me this long to finally be happy enough with the sequel to post it, and guess what! It lined up perfectly with the release of episode VIII! So here it is: the promised sequel from Poe's POV. 
> 
> No spoilers for The Last Jedi, I promise.

Bonded Sentinel and Guide pairs were so attuned to each other that they rarely had to speak to know where the other was, or what the other was feeling and doing. They had unmatched teamwork skills, and for this reason, having a bonded pair on your side in any skirmish was a valuable asset.

That was why when General Organa continued to send Finn and Poe together on missions, Poe didn’t question her decision. Missions were better with Finn by his side, anyway, and Finn seemed to enjoy them. Poe considered anything that made both General Organa and Finn happy a win.

Their current assignment was a surveillance mission to a planet called Doman, which was located in a prime spot on a route often taken by First Order traders. It was in an optimum position for spying on the First Order, but in order to start Resistance operations on this planet, they would need permission and support from the inhabitants of Doman.  

Finn and Poe’s job was to get a feeling for the general mood of the population and whether or not they would take offense to a team of Resistance spies hiding on their planet. If the planet’s population was in favor of the Resistance, more than merely putting up with them, they would send in people to help recruit. The more planets they had on their side, the better.

While this planet had a small amount of off-world traders, most of them were humanoid and there were very few droids wandering the streets. For that reason, they had left BB-8 behind for this mission. The little droid had given Poe hell for it, but in the end, had understood the need for secrecy.

Spying had a tendency to be slow-moving, and while Finn was the type who could settle in and wait for hours on end, Poe had always had trouble being idle. Poe liked to blame it on biology. Sentinels were impatient by nature, and the Guide was meant to be the calming force. Finn was pretty good at getting Poe to stop for a moment, to take time to think before leaping into the fray, but it would take a lot more than that to stop Poe from feeling antsy.

Poe and Finn were holed up in a hotel room located in the center of the largest city on the planet’s surface and listening to scanners that picked up local law enforcement channels. They also had a small screen set up in the room that allowed them to watch the local news.

“Poe, your fidgeting is distracting.”

Poe huffed a breath. “Sorry. We’ve been sitting here for hours, and you know what that does to me.”

A wash of calm settled over Poe and he felt the tension drain from his frame. “Thanks, buddy.”

Finn grinned. “Be careful or you’re going to get addicted to that. I swear, sometimes it’s like a tranquilizer.”

Poe shrugged. “It does feel like drugs, but I think I’m supposed to be addicted to it, right? Isn’t that the whole point of soulmates and all that?”

“You can’t solve every problem with my calming magic, Poe.”

“I beg to differ.”

So far, their search hadn’t come up with anything useful, and they’d been on the planet for three days. It was strange. This planet was so close to First Order operations that it was strange to see no signs of the First Order at all, but Poe had yet to hear anything alluding to the skirmishes at all as if this planet was cut off from anything having to do with the First Order or the Resistance. Poe didn’t like it. All the planets housing the Alliance had just been destroyed, and this planet acted as though everything was normal.

Finn sighed as he settled his head in his hands, elbows resting on the little table they were huddled around. “You’re not the only one getting tired. Honestly, I prefer the missions where _something_ is happening, to all this waiting around.”

“Maybe we need to change our approach,” Poe suggested. “We need to get out on the town, talk to people and see what the climate is like. Maybe then things will get more interesting.”

“Anything to get out of this hotel room.”

Luckily, Finn and Poe could fit right in with the locals of the planet with only a little altering of their clothing. The common attire of the citizens of Chandra consisted of thick robes made of scratchy cloth with hoods that could be pulled up to shelter you from the blustery weather while also hiding your face.

The weather was cool and dry and the plant life was greyish and ragged. It was often cloudy, and the sunlight was sparse.

Poe hated it, but Finn loved it. “I am done with sand and snow planets.”

“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure we don’t have to go back to Jakku,” Poe responded with a smile.

“If we have to go back to Jakku I’m quitting the Resistance.”

Poe just smiled and shook his head. He was glad they had found a planet that Finn actually liked, despite Poe’s own misgivings about the weather.  

It was a particularly windy morning and this meant that the citizens of Chandra hurried through the streets with hoods pulled up and heads down.

“We could have picked a better day for mingling,” Finn murmured as they stepped out of the hotel and into the wind. “Nobody is going to want to talk today.”

“We can always walk around, scope things out and come back tomorrow.”

He glanced at Finn and was momentarily stunned. The hood that was pulled around Finn’s face made his dark eyes stand out and drew attention to the stunning structure of his face. Finn looked at ease in the dark robes in the greying morning, and Poe had to thank whatever power of fate had finally brought the two of them together. He thanked whatever power had designed them as two parts of a whole.

Finn was beautiful and had a heart of gold that could make anyone feel unworthy. Poe was sure that even without their bond he would still have fallen in love. Finn was one of those people that shone brightly, and Poe was hard-pressed to ever look away. Poe shook these thoughts from his head and refocused on the task at hand. He would have time to admire his soulmate later.

The city of Chandra was built into a valley between two small mountain ranges, and the grey stone of the buildings was meant to keep the city relatively hidden among the grey rock of the mountains. It was a large city that had connections to other places on the planet by two large tunnels that had been drilled through the mountain range. No matter where you were in the city, you could look up and see the mountains with their grey rock and white, snowy tops, towering over you. It made you feel short, and Poe decided he liked forests much better than mountains.

This city was home to the royalty of Doman, a family that ruled the whole planet in conjunction with a Parliament that allowed the people to elect officials. Doman was a small planet with only a few large cities, and therefore having only one parliament and royalty was feasible. The royal family, which only consisted of a king and queen, lived in a large estate that sprawled near the outskirts of the city. Once Poe and Finn determined that the planet would be willing to join the Resistance, they would talk to the royal family and forge a formal agreement.

“We should head to the central market,” Poe said as he glanced at the buildings to try and get his bearings. He was usually pretty good with directions, but the buildings in this place were nondescript and the street markings were difficult to decipher. Luckily, the mountains provided an easy guide to north and south, and after they had figured that out, Poe and Finn navigated with more ease.

The market was located on a wide street bustling with stalls and shops that sold fruit imported from other planets with richer soil, fabrics of earth tones that the population favored, and trinkets made from minerals that were mined from the mountain range. Today, there were a handful of people moving from stall to stall, but they were moving quickly. Poe didn’t think the wind was too bad, and it was barely drizzling. He wondered what it was that had these people so intent on getting home.

“They’re all anxious,” Finn said, leaning in so he could speak softly to Poe, though there was no one to overhear them.

“Anxious?”

“Yeah, worried about something big. And it’s overshadowed by this deep sadness.”

Poe glanced around them, trying to figure out what they were missing. “From what we’ve seen, the First Order doesn’t make long stops here. Does this planet get bad storms? Raiders?”

“Well, I don’t really want to stand around in the open street to figure out what it is. They’re freaking me out.”

Finn was highly susceptible to the emotions of groups of people when he wasn’t trying to change what they were feeling. He could calm a rioting crowd, but standing among them without doing anything was like torture. An anxious crowd wasn’t as bad as a rioting one, but Poe knew it couldn’t be comfortable.

“We should set up a scouting point. Our hotel room is just far enough away that if anything happens here, we won’t be able to see it,” Poe said.

Finn nodded and followed as Poe began to poke around and look for a good alley or empty building they could use. He ended up finding a café with a few scraggly looking patrons and a frowning humanoid standing behind the counter. The café was open to the street, so Poe snagged a table that was closest to the road and hoped that they would be able to hear from there.

“I’ll order some drinks so we don’t look suspicious,” Finn said as he stood. He didn’t bother to ask what Poe wanted. When Finn returned, he set both their drinks on the table and took the seat across from Poe, letting their ankles brush under the small table. It was grounding, and Poe found some of the tension that had taken hold of him as they walked through the strange city easing off his shoulders.

Poe took a sip of his drink, a very lightly-sweetened tea that was bland enough that it didn’t bother his senses. “You know me so well,” he said with a small smile.

Finn’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he returned the smile.

It had been strange, at first, being bonded to someone he didn’t actually know that well. All of the lessons about Sentinels and Guides he had been through as a child had talked about the first few weeks of bonding, about how you would be deeply in love with someone you would feel like you had known your whole life, when in reality you probably wouldn’t even know their favorite color.

Poe had known that going in, but no amount of book knowledge compared to the real thing. He never doubted that he and Finn were soulmates, but they were still on the path to knowing each other as well as they knew themselves.

“Are you sensing anything else?” Poe asked.

Finn sat silently for a moment, head tilted. As soon as Poe had learned what to look for, he realized he could feel when Finn was stretching his senses outwards; it was a tingling warmth with a hint of something _Finn_.

“More anxiety, and a good amount of sadness. It’s like they’re waiting for something to happen, something that devastated them before.”

Poe had brought along a portable transceiver so he would still be able to tune into the news. He didn’t want to miss anything that happened while they were out on the town. He set the little black device on the table and turned it down low so only he and Finn could hear.

The newscaster was talking about the weather. The forecast was for more drizzling rain and clouds. His voice sounded calm and just a touch bored.  

“This is bizarre,” Finn murmured as his fingers tapped an idle pattern against the wood of the table. “They all know something we don’t, and it’s making them nervous.”

“Do the people of Doman have any sort of belief system?”

“Nothing came up when we were doing our research on this planet, at least, not out of the ordinary of a Mid Rim planet. Nothing that would have them hurrying through the streets with their heads down.”

Poe scratched the back of his neck and tried to push out with his own senses to see if he could pick up on anything. There was nothing out of the ordinary, and it made his brows furrow in frustration.

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with staying on this planet for a few days to figure out exactly what’s going on here,” Finn said. “We’re okay taking our time. The First Order is still crippled after Starkiller and they won’t risk making an open move until they know they’re strong enough.” Finn threw Poe a confident grin. “If there’s anywhere we need to be to figure out what the First Order is up to, it’s this planet.”

Poe shook his head. “Look at you, trying to cheer me up. Do I come off as that impatient?”

“Not outwardly.” Finn gave Poe’s shoulder a squeeze. “I don’t mind trying to make you feel better, Poe. You know that.”

Poe still wondered how he had been so lucky to be bonded to this wonderful man sitting across from him. Finn was too good for him. Hell, Finn was too good for nearly everyone. Poe thought of his vibrancy, hidden beneath the white plastoid of the Stormtrooper armor, how the First Order had tried to condition his personality and morality out of him. He had been trained from birth to fight for one cause, to kill when he was told to, and he had broken that training. Poe couldn’t even imagine the strength required to fight something like that, but he saw it in Finn every day. Finn was a treasure and there was a light within him that even the might of the First Order and all their brainwashing couldn’t dim.

They both remained alert but continued their idle conversation in order to avoid looking suspicious.

“I wonder what Skywalker is teaching Rey now,” Poe said, grinning.

“Oh, I bet it’s something amazing. In her last transmission a few weeks ago, Rey told me she had learned to levitate small rocks. She said Skywalker had finally opened up about his training, and she told me all these funny stories about how Master Yoda had trained him all those years ago.”

Poe grinned. Some of these stories had circulated through the Resistance. “Apparently it involved piggybacks, right?”

“Yeah, actually. I told her she better hope Skywalker didn’t want to train her like Yoda trained him.”

“Skywalker’s a little heavier than Yoda was.”

“I bet Rey could carry him, though. She’s one of the strongest people I know, physically and mentally.”

“I think Rey will make a wonderful Jedi,” Poe said, his smile softening when he thought about Rey wielding a lightsaber. No one would be able to stop her.

“She definitely will.”

They sat there for long enough that Poe, worried that the café owner would grow suspicious of them, went up to get them another round of drinks. Eventually, though, Finn leaned forward and said softly to Poe, “I can feel suspicion coming from the man behind the counter, and a few of the other patrons are looking at us. I think we should go.”

Poe nodded and stood. He made sure to leave a nice tip in the jar sitting on the counter of the café, giving the man a smile that he hoped would dispel any suspicion. They left the café with no more information than when they had sat down.

“Did you feel this agitation when we first landed?” Poe asked as they headed back to the inn. They were walking close enough together that their shoulders and arms brushed with every movement. It was comforting.

“I didn’t feel much of anything when we first got here, and from our room, everything is too muffled.”

Poe hummed and nodded to the clerk as they passed through the lobby of the inn towards the lift to their floor. They had scored a top floor room with a nice view of the city and the mountains, and even in a somewhat drab hotel, it was nice.

“We’ll go back out tomorrow. Hopefully, it will be busier. We can see if the citizens are still fearful.” Poe was reaching into his robes to find the room key when he froze. There was a strange smell in the hallway that was setting off red flags in his head.

Finn could immediately tell that Poe had sensed something, also going still right behind Poe. Poe tilted his head, trying to place the smell. It didn’t take him long to realize why the smell bothered him.

It was sterile and spoke of controlled environments and strict sanitation, a smell that was common of huge starships with lots of people on them. It wasn’t a smell one expected on a planet consisting mostly of traders and people who lived their whole lives without even breaking the atmosphere of the place they were born.

“There’s someone from off-planet close by,” Poe murmured, tilting his chin up in the direction of the scent. “The smell is strong, like they’ve just come from a large starship. I smell recycled air and disinfectant.”

“The only organizations with huge starships like that are the Republic and the First Order. Only one of those two has starships in the area,” Finn said.

Poe’s mouth thinned. “They are plenty of inns in this area. What is the likelihood that they ended up in the same place that we did?”

The hallway was empty, but the scent was strong and warm, which meant it was coming straight from a living person. The off-worlder was in a room in close proximity to them. “And in a neighboring room in a hotel that doesn’t have many patrons.”

Finn unlocked their door and Poe followed, mind moving quickly as he tried to figure out where their leak may have been. They had come in on a cloudy night, making sure that their landing on the planet went unnoticed, and they had made sure they were the only starship in the area. Their ship was currently hidden in a cave a few miles from the city, out of sight and very difficult to find unless you knew where to look. The Resistance was being extra careful after Starkiller, but there was always a chance something had escaped. They had no idea how much power the First Order was hiding, even after the destruction of Starkiller. It didn’t take much to send someone to tail two Resistance spies.

Finn flipped the deadbolt and slid the chain lock into place. It wasn’t going to keep out anyone with a blaster and motivation, but Poe appreciated the illusion of security. He sighed, crossing his arms and fixing Finn with a look. “Did we do something wrong? I’m trying to find weak points in our plan, but I’m not coming up with anything clear that would have let the First Order know we came here.”

Finn closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “The First Order is good at this. They have hackers, spies, trackers.”

“We’re not exactly here on a highly-important mission. Why would the First Order want to stop us?”

Finn stepped past him and moved to stare out the window. “Maybe this is all a coincidence. This inn is low-profile, cheap, and near the city center. Maybe the First Order has its own business here.”

Poe pushed his hood off his head, running a hand through his hair. “So, should we continue on as normal, watch out for someone tailing us, and hope for the best?”

Finn turned and offered him something that looked more like a grimace than a smile. “If it does happen to be a coincidence, maybe they don’t know we’re here. We could end up knowing more about what the First Order is doing than we thought we would. Not everyone has the ability to smell where someone came from through doorways, you know.”

Poe sighed, sinking back onto the bed. “I hope you’re right.”

The nights on Doman got bitingly cold and dark, with the clouds covering the stars and the red moon, so that meant that Poe and Finn had taken to staying inside once the sun set. The natives of the planet were rarely seen outside at night, despite the size of the city. There wasn’t much of a nightlife to speak of, and that meant Poe didn’t see the need for them to be out there.

“But what if the First Order does operations at night?” Finn had asked, frowning as he peered out the dark window on their first night there.

“We’re not here to discover First Order operations,” Poe had responded, settling down on the edge of the bed. “We’re here to see if the Resistance can establish a network of spies on this planet so _they_ can discover First Order operations safely and more effectively.”

Finn had grumbled something about being totally capable, but Poe knew Finn had a fear of the First Order that ran deep, programmed the same way his urge to hide his identity as a Guide was. Poe imagined Finn’s fear was something similar to the way Poe could feel Kylo Ren’s crushing, invasive touch in his mind whenever in close proximity to the First Order.

The presence of a potential First Order operative had thrown a wrench in their plans, and this meant that they would be getting much closer to the First Order than they had planned.

Tonight, Finn seemed to be the one more eager to go to bed, stealing the refresher before Poe had so much as pulled off his boots. Most of today had been boring for Poe, nothing more than hours of sitting around and waiting for something to happen, but Finn had been feeling the emotions of the citizens all day, absorbing their anxiety and their sorrow. To Poe, the planet was bland, a balm to his sharp senses. For Finn, it all depended on the emotions of the citizens of the planet.

When Finn came out of the bathroom, he sprawled back on the bed, looking at up at Poe with dark eyes and a soft expression that had Poe’s heart lurching despite how often Finn pinned him with this look. “Can you still smell them?”

Poe inhaled carefully. “Just faint wisps, but I think it’s residual more than anything. These rooms are pretty good at insulating smells.”

“Huh.”

“And if they move into the hallway, I’ll be able to tell immediately, you know.” Poe yawned. “Let me take a shower, and then I’ll come to bed.”

Poe liked the showers on this planet; the water was heavily filtered due to the high concentration of iron in the ground. That meant that the water was scentless and gentle on Poe’s sensitive skin. The clothing was another story altogether, and so removing the heavy, scratchy robes and standing under the gentle stream was a relief.

He had brought his own sleep clothes, a pair of soft boxers and a t-shirt made of a Sentinel-friendly material that didn’t irritate his skin the way many other materials did. It was a comfort to slip into the soft fabric, clean and calmed from the warm water and the unscented soap preferred by both of them.

Finn was curled under the covers when Poe stepped out of the ‘fresher, a holopad perched on his chest, the warm light from the lamp on the nightstand illuminating the calm expression on his face. Poe smiled to himself, happy to slip under the covers and push into Finn’s personal space.

Finn lifted his arm enough that Poe could slip under it and rest his head on Finn’s chest so he could stare up at what Finn was reading.

“Is this another one of those space operas?”

Finn hummed an affirmative, a sound Poe could feel where his ear was pressed against Finn’s chest.

Finn had taken a liking to dramatic romantic novels, something that he hadn’t been allowed to read when he was with the First Order. They had been limited to propaganda and non-fiction, and when Finn had realized that fictional stories existed just for the heck of it, he had been thrilled. Finn turned out to be an avid reader, and Poe thought it was wonderful. After all, Finn had started by reading the novels Poe had saved on his personal holopad, and it had felt like Poe was sharing a part of himself with Finn.

“What’s this one about?” Poe asked. A soothing calmness had settled over him, and it was making him feel languid and happy.

“A pair of lovers who get caught up in a murder plot and have to go disguised as arms dealers to stay alive.”

“Fascinating,” Poe murmured.

Finn set his pad on the side table and wrapped both arms around Poe’s back. “My actual life is pretty fascinating. I get to go on spy missions to random planets with my soulmate.”

Poe brushed his nose along Finn’s jaw, hands settling on Finn’s waist. “Today wasn’t very fascinating, in my opinion.”

“That’s because you’re impatient.” Finn frowned. “And those last few moments were pretty thrilling.”

Poe kissed Finn’s ear, which caused Finn to giggle and squirm. “Yeah, buddy, I’m impatient. It’s part of being a Sentinel. And smelling things isn’t my idea of a thrilling day.”

“I think being impatient is also a part of being Poe Dameron.”

Poe smiled against the skin of Finn’s neck. “You’re probably right.” Poe leaned back so he could see Finn’s face, grinning. “So, in our adventures, am I the hero or the damsel in distress?”

Finn eyed him thoughtfully. “I was the one who saved you when we first met.”

“That’s true. So you’re saying I’m the damsel.” Poe tilted his head. “Do damsels usually fly the getaway ship?”

“Damsels can do anything they want.”

Poe narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer. “Anything?”

Finn’s hand slid up Poe’s back to rest between his shoulder blades, a warm pressure that Poe wanted to sink into. “Anything,” Finn responded, lips curling up into a smile.

Poe pressed their lips together in a soft kiss, sweet and warm and everything that Poe associated with Finn. Finn’s hand snuck into his hair and Poe sighed into the kiss. He rested his hands on Finn’s chest and felt the rest of the world drop away.

In a world where the First Order didn’t exist and Poe and Finn didn’t need to risk their lives fighting for the right to live in a free universe, this bubble of calm could be their normal. Poe often thought about his childhood home back on Yavin 4 and how Finn would thrive amongst the rich green of the forests and the vibrant blue of the sky. There was a little cottage that sat on the outskirts of the town where Poe’s family lived, a few minutes from the lake Poe had played in as a child, close to the airfield where Poe had learned to fly, where Poe could imagine them living together. They could spend their days working simple jobs in town, maybe Poe could teach Finn how to fly. They would never worry about being separated.

Poe knew that he would grow bored with such a life. He enjoyed the rush of adventure and danger, and he knew Finn shared a little of that trait. Poe would end up finding some way, no matter what the circumstances, to be involved in a cause and to fight for that cause. That fire was a part of him, but that didn’t stop him from dreaming of a life where he didn’t have to share Finn and didn’t have to worry about losing him.

“Hey, Poe? You’re thinking really hard.”

Poe blinked, realizing that Finn had stopped kissing him and was looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m just daydreaming about you on a beach, looking all pretty with the sun shining on you.”

Finn clicked his tongue. “Typical of you to daydream about me while you’re in bed with me.”

Poe hummed. “You’re just too damn good looking, Finn. I can’t handle it.”

Finn grinned, and flipped them over, pressing Poe back into the mattress with a gentle ease that had taken months for him to learn. The warm smile on his face and the sure hands that were cupping Poe’s jaw were not given to him by the First Order. It had taken time and practice for them to figure out how they worked; they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, but the pieces had been worn, their colors faded when they found each other. Discovering the way they meshed had taken effort, but the resulting snap into place was more rewarding for it.

Their kisses grew heated, and soon Poe was parting his thighs so Finn could rest, heavy and warm between them. They made quick work of their clothing, and then Finn was fumbling in his bag beside the bed for the oil.

Poe had had sex before bonding, with people he knew were temporary. Sex felt good and usually made him happy, which was why Poe indulged, but it was never anything serious. When you were a Sentinel or Guide, you knew relationships with anyone other than your soulmate were temporary. Poe wasn’t meant to stay with anyone other than his Guide, and the people he slept with had known going in that Poe was already taken.

Poe had never realized how much better sex would be with his Guide.

Finn laced their hands together beside Poe’s head as Poe wrapped his other hand around the back of Finn’s neck, eyes falling shut as Finn set a deep, even pace. He could feel Finn’s own pleasure mirroring his own, and he could feel their bond singing between them. It was like nothing Poe had ever experienced before. He wanted to bottle this moment and store it for times when he needed reminding that magic was real, that love was real.

“Shit, Finn,” Poe groaned, hiking one leg up to rest against Finn’s ribs. Finn caught it with his free arm, warm palm sliding along Poe’s thigh in big, even strokes.

“Poe, you feel so good.”

Poe opened his eyes to see Finn’s dark ones pinning him. Finn rested his forehead against Poe’s, breathing hot and wet into the small space between them. Poe brought his hand up and cupped it around Finn’s jaw to pull him in the last few inches so that their mouths met in a kiss. It was sloppy, without finesse, but it was perfect.

Poe didn’t last long, his orgasm causing his vision to white out at the corners and a low whine to escape his throat. He pulled Finn over the edge with him, who pressed his face into the slope of Poe’s neck as he came.

Finn shifted so that some of his weight was on the mattress and not fully on Poe, but he remained pressed to him from shoulder to knees. For a moment that stretched gossamer and warm between them, Poe simply breathed and listened as Finn breathed beside him. Their bond hummed between them, strong and healthy.

“Your hair is all stuck to your forehead,” Finn said, reaching up to thread his fingers through Poe’s fringe. Poe’s eyelids fluttered at the sensation, leaning into the touch.

“You’re going to be the death of me, buddy,” Poe said, voice rasping. He felt boneless, content. He wondered if he would be sore in the morning. If so, he would wear the soreness with pride.

Finn pressed his smile into Poe’s cheekbone. “I hope not. Who would fly me around the galaxy?”

Poe snaked his arm around Finn’s back. “I’m sure Rey wouldn’t mind.”

He fell asleep with Finn’s chuckle in his ears.

 

 

The next day was clearer, and there seemed to be more foot traffic on the street, so Poe suggested they might as well go out and see if their friend was going to follow them.

Finn and Poe donned their brown and grey robes, stowing the recorders and radios in the folds of fabric. Poe half-wished they would run into a spy, if only for the thrill of it after a few days of nothing.

Finn would probably disagree with him. He was content and calm, that much Poe could tell, and running into someone from the First Order would end that calm. Poe didn’t wish that.

Poe was often conflicted when it came to Finn, but everything Poe had every learned about soulmates had warned him of feelings like that. It was natural to be protective even when you wanted nothing more than to run headlong into danger. It was natural to feel your mate’s calmness but not want calmness for yourself, even if that would mean your mate would no longer be calm.

“You’re deep in your head this morning,” Finn commented as they wove their way towards the central market.

Poe shrugged. “I do think sometimes,” he said, a grin forming on his face. “I’m more than just a pretty face.”

Finn smiled. “You could’ve fooled me.”

Poe bumped his shoulder against Finn’s. “Come on, let’s go see what these people have to say about the First Order.”

The one thing that made Doman more comforting for Poe was its lack of a Sentinel and Guide population. Nobody knew for sure why Sentinels and Guides popped up in certain populations more than others—as far as anyone could tell, it was completely random—but for some reason, some populations had none at all. The natives of Doman were one such population. Since Sentinels and Guides usually avoided the difficult life of a trader, Poe and Finn had not seen another Sentinel or Guide since they had landed on this planet.

That was why it was remarkably easy to feel the presence of another Sentinel in the market, right away.

Poe stiffened, eyes scanning for the source of the feeling.

“Poe?” Finn immediately moved closer to him, sensing Poe’s apprehension right away. “Is it our spy?”

“It’s an unbonded Sentinel.”

Finn’s eyes widened as he shifted even closer to Poe, anticipating Poe’s protectiveness.

Poe couldn’t figure out where the scent originated. It was strong enough that he could tell it was in the market somewhere close, but only that. He closed his eyes and attempted to get rid of anything that would distract him from his sense of smell. On his next inhale, he caught a hint of that same recycled air from last night.

“It’s our spy. The Sentinel is our spy.”

Finn followed Poe’s gaze. “Why couldn’t you tell it was a Sentinel last night?”

“It’s difficult to tell if someone’s a Sentinel through walls. I could smell the recycled air, but there wasn’t enough information for me to know they were also a Sentinel.”

“I never met a Sentinel in the Stormtrooper program,” Finn said. “There might have been Sentinel officers, but none that I ever met.”

 “We should keep moving,” he said, pulling Finn along in what he hoped was the opposite direction of the Sentinel. “If I’m having trouble locating them, maybe they’re having trouble locating us.”

Finn followed him, expression focused. “What are the odds we can fight off a ruthless, likely armed Sentinel from the First Order?”

Poe was leading them on a weaving path through the market, his head bent so his hood covered his face, the awful feeling of being followed plaguing him. He hoped the feeling was unfounded.

“I’d rather it not get to that point at all,” Poe responded.

“We should get out of here. These people don’t have Sentinels and Guides. We’re going to stand out a lot if we have a confrontation in this crowd.”

Poe nodded and began walking in the direction of the quieter parts of town, hoping they could regroup there, when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

Finn gave a low curse as Poe jerked around to face the cloaked figure towering over him. He reared back, a snarl forming on his lips as the strong rush of instinctual aggression surged through his blood.

He grabbed Finn, pushing him behind his back to put himself between Finn and the cloaked Sentinel.

“Back off,” he demanded.

“I mean you no harm,” a cool voice responded. “I merely wish to speak with you.”

The voice was light, and the Standard was curled in a way common of officers of the First Order and the old Republic.

Poe began backing up in order to move the both of them closer to a stand of rugs. If they had to, they could escape behind the stand and make a break for it through the building behind it. That depended on how fast the Sentinel could move.  

The Sentinel watched them from the shadow of their hood. “You can run if you wish. I won’t chase you. Like I said, I merely wish to talk to you. You might like what I have to say. Ask your Guide. He will know I am telling the truth.”

Poe narrowed his eyes and tried to make himself bigger in front of Finn. He was aggravated that the Sentinel referred to Finn at all. They had no right. It was times like these Poe wished he were taller, in order to appear more threatening.

“Poe, she’s right. She’s calm, curious. If she was planning to harm us, I would be able to feel it, you know that,” Finn murmured in his ear.

Poe shook his head. “I haven’t been around an unbonded Sentinel since bonding with you, Finn. Even if the Sentinel was General Organa, I’d be protective and territorial. This is a strange Sentinel, possibly from the First Order. You know I can’t lower my guard.”

“Then don’t. You can keep me far away from her if you want. We should listen what she has to say. Remember, I came from the First Order, and look where I am now.”

Poe deflated and turned his gaze back to the Sentinel. “We’ll speak with you, but it can’t be in a place too secluded, and you I won’t allow you to get close to my Guide.”

Poe knew, logically, that Finn could defend himself just fine. Finn had been a highly trained Stormtrooper with a killer shot and sharp combat skills. He could probably beat Poe in a fight, if they went one-on-one. That didn’t stop Poe feeling like Finn was in danger from this Sentinel. Poe had nightmares about someone from the First Order coming to take Finn away, and this confrontation was making that irrational fear bubble to the surface. He wanted to get in his x-wing and take Finn back to the Resistance base and hide him away in their quarters.

“You may choose the place,” the Sentinel said. “I do not wish to make you nervous.”

They ended up in a small park that was nothing more than a patch of crispy, ragged grass, some hardy trees, and a few benches that lined the edges. Poe missed the vibrant green jungles of Yavin 4 as he looked at this sad patch of land, but Finn seemed to find it charming as he sat down on a bench with enough room for Poe to sit beside him. The Sentinel took a seat across from them, peering around to make sure they weren’t being watched.

“No one is paying attention to us,” Finn said.

“The abilities of a Guide are fascinating,” the Sentinel commented as she reached up to push her hood off of her head. She had dark skin and dark hair that was pulled back into a tight bun at the base of her skull.

“Who are you?” Poe asked as he searched her face for anything familiar. Poe could still smell the recycled air on her, and it made his nose crinkle.

She dipped her head in response. “I am Rora Trell, former First Order officer, come to you in peace.”

Poe watched Finn’s reaction carefully. Finn was on edge, but he didn’t seem to be surprised.

“You know who we are?” Poe asked.

“You are both known widely through the First Order: Poe for your skill as an enemy pilot, and Finn for being a traitor.”

“You’re a traitor, too, aren’t you?” Finn asked quietly, gaze intense.

Trell nodded. “I worked in tactics. Among officers, Sentinels and Guides are not policed like they are in the Stormtrooper program, but they are still not allowed to bond.”

“Did you know about bonding?” Finn asked. “The First Order kept all information about bonding from the Stormtroopers.”

Poe felt that familiar rush of anger that came with Finn talking about how the First treated Sentinels and Guides. He remembered when Finn had first told him what the First Order was like, and how Poe had wanted to turn right back around and destroy the First Order from the inside out. It was heartbreaking to think of other Sentinels and Guides, trapped, not knowing that their soulmate was out there somewhere, just like Finn had been.

“As an officer, I had access to information that Stormtroopers didn’t. I had to do some hacking, but I was able to find information about Sentinels and Guides that hadn’t originated in the First Order.” Trell smirked. “From there, I spread it.”

Poe blinked. “How?”

“There are always ways to get information around in the First Order without the higher-ups noticing. And it was especially easy when I realized how to figure out who was a Sentinel or Guide, and who wasn’t.”

Poe glanced at Finn and saw that his eyes were widening. “That’s treason!”

Trell’s expression was smug. “Yes, it is. But it was worth it when dozens of Sentinels and Guides were realizing who they were and realizing that maybe the First Order was not the place for them. You see, many of us were born into the First Order, and we were finally beginning to see the First Order for what it is: a fascist organization.”

Poe blinked, and then shook his head. “You started a rebellion inside the First Order?” he asked.

“I didn’t start it,” Trell said, gaze moving from Poe to fix steadily on Finn. “FN-2187, the Guide that escaped the First Order Stormtrooper program, started the revolution.”

Finn’s mouth opened and closed a few times as he floundered for a way to respond. Poe clasped his shoulder.

“Finn, buddy, I told you you’re a hero. Maybe this will help you believe me.”

Finn brushed off the comment, but Poe could feel his astonishment at the thought of starting an uprising in the First Order. Apparently, he hadn’t thought defecting would affect others.

“Have there been many defectors?” Finn asked. “It’s not easy getting away from the First Order.”

“I was with a group of three Sentinels when I snuck aboard a trading ship. There were four Guides that were planning to go after me. Last I heard of them, they made it to an Outer Rim planet not long ago. There were rumors of others thinking of jumping ship by the time I left.” She glanced around them. “This planet happens to be on a trade route that the First Order does not monitor as heavily as it does its other routes, because the supplies are lower security than the others. The cargo pilots are easy to bribe, and the cargo itself is easy to hide among. The pilot refuels here, the stowaways escape onto Doman or another planet along this route.”

Finn cast his gaze towards the nearest line of buildings. “Did the First Order ever come to this planet in force? Did they attack it, maybe, or interrogate someone important?”

Trell nodded. “When I was researching my possible escape, I came upon records of this planet. They indicate that approximately twenty-five years ago, the First Order kidnapped one hundred babies to furnish the Stormtrooper program.”

There was a tense silence as Finn and Poe took in that horrifying information. Poe had thought that the kidnapping was done in the dozens, spread out between different planets. While still awful, that was much less horrifying than kidnapping one hundred children at once.

Trell continued with a solemn expression. “One of the children taken was the child of the royal family, and that is why the whole population mourns so heavily on the anniversary of their kidnapping.”

“That fear and sadness I felt, it was people remembering the day they lost their children,” Finn said softly, head bowed. “I had no idea.”

Poe clenched his hands into fists in his lap, trying to calm his anger enough to speak evenly. “The First Order hasn’t come back here?”

Trell shook her head. “They would not find allies here. I’ve been here for a few months now, and these people are calm but strong and determined to keep something like that from happening again.”

That meant their mission was going to be successful. If Trell was correct, Finn and Poe would be safe to talk to the king and queen and get Doman’s full support of the Resistance. Their mission felt small now, compared with the plight of the Sentinels and Guides in the First Order and the suffering of the people on this planet, but Poe was determined to see it through.

“The Sentinels and Guides that escaped the First Order. Were any of them Stormtroopers?” Finn asked.

“One of the Guides was a Stormtrooper. As you know, Sentinels do not fare well in the Stormtrooper program,” Trell responded.

Finn shook his head. “The First Order is going to crack down on this. They’ll start getting rid of all Sentinels and Guides, no matter who they are.”

“That’s why we need the help of the Resistance,” Trell said, voice growing urgent. “If the bonded pair of the Resistance had a message for all the Sentinels and Guides, promising them a better life outside of the First Order, maybe that would motivate them to fight.”

“You’re suggesting that we encourage a full-scale mutiny?” Poe asked. “We could be sentencing a lot of Sentinels and Guides to death.”

“I have no exact number, but based on the people I was in correspondence with, and the ones that they knew about, there are at least fifty Sentinels and Guides in the First Order, scattered among the different officers, and that’s not counting those in the ‘trooper program, and those that I couldn’t reach. That’s enough to cause some trouble.” Now that Trell was excited about her cause, her voice had taken on a warmer quality, and her face was brighter.

“That’s still not many when you think about the size of the First Order,” Poe said, shaking his head. “We can’t start a rebellion within the First Order if it’s going to get all of them killed.”

“The First Order is weakened, after the destruction of Starkiller. They’re only going to get stronger. The sooner we provoke a mutiny, the better effect it will have.”

Poe ran a hand over his face and drew in a rough breath. “Finn, what do you think?”

Finn was staring off at the buildings that were barely visible through the fog, brows drawn low over his eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t want to give any of them hope if there isn’t any, but I also want them to know who they are and that there’s life beyond the First Order.”

“Seeing you two together would be enough,” Trell responded. “Hearing your voices. Imagine, Finn, when you were confused, unsure of who you were and stuck in the Stormtrooper program, hearing two people like you, assuring you that what you’re feeling is normal, that you have a place in the galaxy.”

Finn closed his eyes. “It was exactly what I needed.” He was quiet for a moment before turning to Poe. “Poe, I want to send a message to them. We don’t have to encourage an uprising, but I want them to know that they’re not alone. I want them all to know about bonding.”

Poe took Finn’s hand and squeezed it. “I don’t want to do this without General Organa’s go-ahead.” He turned to Trell. “Do you know how we would get a message into the First Order?”

Trell nodded. “I still have access to the channels I was using while inside the First Order. They would be sufficient.”

“Finn and I need to finish this mission and return to the Resistance base. If you give us some way to contact you, we can let you know right away what the General’s response is.”

Trell nodded, pulling a small communicator from the folds of her robe. “I’ll send you my comm ID.”

Poe gave her the code for his commlink which she plugged into her own device with an efficiency that spoke of years of training. “What will you do until then?” Poe asked her. “The Resistance could always use more good officers, especially ones with inside knowledge of the First Order.”

Trell shook her head. “I will stay here, for now, to help other defectors in any way I can. I want to develop an expansive network of Sentinels and Guides, both within the First Order and outside of it, and I don’t think I will be able to do that if I pledge my support to the Resistance.”

Though Poe knew the Resistance could really use her help, he didn’t blame her. A network of Sentinels and Guides, helping each other, spreading information, connecting bonded pairs, that was something the galaxy could really use. Trell was fighting a different fight than they were, and Poe admired her for it.

“That sounds wonderful,” Finn said, face bright. “Please, tell us if you manage to make any breakthroughs. I want to be a part of this, somehow.”

Trell smiled at him. “Of course. I would not leave out the bonded pair that started it all.”

 

 

After Trell left, Poe and Finn went back to the inn to ready themselves for a meeting with the Doman royalty. Poe fussed with his robes, trying to make sure they fell just right, while Finn watched him with a small smile on his face.

“Poe, you look fine.”

Poe shot him a look that lacked any real heat. “Yeah, I do not wear these robes as easily as you do.”

Finn ran his fingers over the fabric covering his stomach. “I like the robes.”

Poe stepped in close. “You know I think you look great in everything you wear, but something about these robes…”

Finn’s eyes were bright under the hood. “Do you think I look presentable enough to see the king and queen?”

Poe placed a soft, lingering kiss on Finn’s mouth. “I’d say you do.”

Finn grinned. “Are you done preening?”

Poe gave him a gentle push on the shoulder. “Don’t get smart with me, pal. I know where you sleep.”

 

 

The palace was beautiful, in an understated sort of way. Poe had seen plenty of places that housed royalty in his travels, and they were often overdone, gaudy, reeking of wealth and power. This building was made of grey stone that looked like it had grown right out of the mountainside. The lines of the building were clean and hugged the mountain to keep the castle pretty much invisible to anyone flying over the city. The grounds that surrounded the castle were mostly filled with what appeared to be small gardens containing plants that had to be kept in some sort of environment bubble, since the planet didn’t have a great climate for exotic plant life. The path that led up to the front entrance was lined on both sides by small willow trees whose branches drooped around the path to keep it shaded in a cool green.

Poe was awed by the sight, and by the looks of it, so was Finn, who kept his neck craned back as they walked under the willows, mouth slightly agape.

“Hopefully this will all run smoothly,” Poe said as they neared the front doors. “Sources say the royal family is kind, if a little solemn. They did lose their only child to the First Order.”

Finn frowned. “They need a successor to the throne, right? Why didn’t they have another kid?”

“Who knows? Complications? Losing a child, that’s something a lot of people never recover from.”

Finn fell silent as they neared the large doors which were carved in intricate designs that matched the local script. Poe wondered how it translated.

They had learned how to get an audience with the king and queen by asking the man that worked the front desk of their inn, who had been happy to explain the simple process. The king and queen offered a few hours every day in which any citizen could come in and speak to them, and though neither Finn nor Poe were citizens, the man had explained that that usually wasn’t an issue if you passed the security check. The king and queen wanted to be reachable and attentive.

The doors swung open as soon as they got close enough, revealing a tall, thin man wearing fine robes and a calm expression. “Welcome to the home of King and Queen Sianra, the Royals of Chandra and Doman. I am Cecil of the royal court. How may I help you?”

“We were hoping that we could get an audience with the king and queen.”

Cecil bowed. “If you would allow the guards to check you for weapons.”

Finn and Poe stood still as guards wearing similar robes patted them down gently and then backed away. One of the guards nodded to Cecil.

“You may follow me,” Cecil said with a small flourish of his hand.

Inside, the castle was decorated in sea greens and silvers, giving it a calming, elegant look that spoke of good taste. There were paintings on the wall that depicted roiling oceans, birds circling mountaintops, and chalky plains, and Poe wondered if all of these paintings were of real places on Doman. From this point of view, the planet was breathtaking.

“If you would state your names and your business with the king and queen,” Cecil said as he slowed them to a stop beside a set of large doors.

“I’m Poe Dameron, and this is Finn. We’re off-worlders looking to come to an agreement with the king and queen regarding the Resistance.”

To his credit, Cecil barely blinked in response. “If you would follow me, they are waiting inside.” He opened the doors and stepped inside. “Your Majesties, Poe Dameron and Finn of off-world, to speak to you about the Resistance.”

The throne room had high ceilings and was lined with columns on either side, draped in the same sea green. There were large windows lining the room, sending light spilling across the path to the thrones and giving the room a bright, warm feeling despite all the grey stone. The thrones themselves were fairly simple and made the queen and king that sat in them look even more splendid.

The royals both had dark skin and wore robes of deep blue and brown lined with silver, the same metal that shone from their crowns. They were a striking pair, and Poe tried not to feel intimidated as they watched Poe and Finn approach the thrones.

Poe removed his hood and Finn followed his example. “Your Majesties,” Poe said, dipping his head. “I am Poe Dameron, and this is Finn. We are representatives of the galactic Resistance, of General Leia Organa.”

It was Queen Sianra who spoke first, her face kind. “Poe, Finn. It is good to meet you. I am Queen Lilla Sianra, and this is King Ret Sianra. We were wondering when the Resistance would appear before us.” They both had kind faces, and they were strangely familiar. Poe couldn’t recall seeing their images in the city anywhere, nor could he recall seeing their faces on any news broadcast. Perhaps their expressions reminded him of General Organa.  

Poe returned her smile. “It’s good to know we aren’t a surprise. If you were waiting for us, I’m sure our proposition will also be unsurprising.”

“We will hear it,” the king said, and when Poe looked at him he saw that King Ret was not looking at him but at Finn, with an intrigued expression.

“Your planet is on a trading route for the First Order, which I’m sure you already know. This gives us a great opportunity to monitor what the First Order is doing. If your planet agrees to join the Resistance, we can offer you training and protection.”

“The First Order has not confronted us in years,” the king responded. “How will you monitor them?”

“We have brilliant hackers who can decode First Order messages to decipher lots of information, and all they need is to be within range of First Order ships that are broadcasting.”

Poe took a step closer to the thrones and stiffened.

The king and queen were a bonded pair, which he had been unable to tell until stepping just that much closer. The room seemed to absorb their scent, keeping it within a few meters of their thrones. Poe noticed that they had also gone completely still.

“Mr. Dameron. You did not mention you were a bonded Sentinel,” Queen Lilla said, face sharp. She leaned forward in her chair. “Tell me, where is your Guide?”

Finn stepped forward, emboldened by the need to claim Poe as his. “I’m his Guide.”

The king and queen’s attention was on Finn immediately, and Poe sensed something in the room shift. He wasn’t sure he liked it.

Poe frowned. “I thought Doman didn’t have Sentinels and Guides.”

“Our family line has always had Sentinels and Guides,” Queen Lilla responded as her gaze moved to Poe. “Ages ago, a Sentinel was given the right to rule because of his heightened senses, among a society that had never seen someone with such abilities. From that point on, the Sianras and their bondmates were rulers of Doman.”

She turned her gaze back to Finn. “Tell me, Finn, where were you born?”

Finn blinked at her, startled at being addressed directly, and then glanced at Poe. “Uh, ma’am. Your majesty.” He shuffled his feet awkwardly. “I don’t know, actually.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You don’t know?” The king was also focused intently on Finn, who was floundering.

“No, I don’t know. I was taken from my family as a child.”

The queen stood, suddenly, and made her way down the throne towards Finn, whose eyes were wide and stance was stiff. She came up close to him, and even though she was a Sentinel, Poe did not feel the familiar rush of protectiveness that always hit him when another Sentinel got close to his Guide. Finn held his ground as she lifted a hand, that came very close to touching his face.

“How did you escape the Stormtrooper program?” she asked, voice soft.

Finn was startled. “I didn’t say anything about that.”

Queen Lilla shook her head. “The resemblance is uncanny, Ret. It has to be him.”

King Ret stood from his throne and joined Lilla in front of Finn, who was growing more and more confused. Poe could feel his prickly fear and confusion and his desire to bolt, and it made Poe take a step towards him, to intercept if necessary. But there was something about the way the king and queen were gazing at Finn that made him hold off for a few moments longer.

“We lost our son twenty-five years ago to the First Order when they took children for the Stormtrooper program,” Lilla said, voice tight. “You are a Guide, you are the right age, and you bear a striking resemblance to the child we lost. What are the chances of a coincidence of that strength?”

Poe felt the world tilting around him as the shock hit him sideways. Looking at Lilla, Ret, and Finn standing near each other, Poe could now see the resemblance. Lilla had Finn’s smile, and Ret had his bearing and the shape of his face. They even _smelled_ similar, now that Poe was paying attention.

Finn was part of the royal line of Doman. Finn was the missing prince.

“No, no, there’s no way. I’m not royalty,” Finn was saying, shaking his head. “The First Order took children from so many families.”

Lilla shook her head. “Can you not feel it? The connection between us? You are a Guide.”

Finn looked pained, but Poe could feel him pushing out with his senses. After a few moments of concentration, he gasped. “You’re right.”

Lilla let out a half-sob, half-laugh, and pulled a startled Finn into a hug. “Dear Theda. You have returned to us.”

Finn closed his eyes and hugged her back, and Poe’s throat tightened in emotion. This planet would have been Finn’s home, the king and queen his parents. It would have been a great life. He would have wanted for nothing, far away from pain and heartbreak, far away from the First Order. He would have been a great ruler, too. Finn was kind and courageous.

Poe let a small smile linger on his face as he watched Finn interact with his parents. _Theda Sianra_. Poe tried the name out in his mind a few times. It was difficult, imaging Finn growing up with that name, imagining him growing up on this planet with a crown on his head. Poe ached with the desire for this to have been Finn’s life. The universe was unfair.

“Poe Dameron.”

Poe looked up to see that it was King Ret who had said his name, his arm around Finn’s shoulders, gazing at him with eyes so similar to Finn’s that Poe was surprised he hadn’t realized immediately that he and Finn were related.

“You are Theda’s Sentinel. You are welcome in our home, both of you. Your arrival here is a blessing of the gods.”

Poe smiled. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

King Ret shook his head. “Please, call me Ret. We are related in all but blood.”

“Ret, thank you.”

“I know you two came on important business,” Lilla said warmly. “But we can continue discussing the details over dinner if you would be amenable.”

Poe gave Finn a questioning look. This was Finn’s show now, not his.

“Poe and I would love to,” Finn responded.

Both the king and queen beamed, and their smiles were achingly familiar.

 

 

Dinner with the royals of Chandra was a modest affair.

They were set up in a room that seemed more like a sitting room than a dining room, around a wooden table just large enough for the four of them and the simple meal laid out before them. It was all vegetarian and likely harvested from the gardens outside the palace. It was surprisingly flavorful and delicious and it made Poe wonder what it would have been like to grow up on this planet, with these people. He knew Finn was probably thinking the same thing.

Finn was quieter than usual, but Poe didn’t blame him. Discovering that your parents were the king and queen of a planet after thinking you would never know where you came from was bound to shake even the strongest of people. Finn was handling it remarkably well, and Poe was proud of him for it. Poe was prompted to speak more often than he had expected, answering questions about how he had gotten captured, how Finn had saved him, how they had gotten separated. The king and queen were thrilled to hear the exciting tale of their reunion and their subsequent victory over the First Order.

They had also easily adapted to calling their son “Finn” instead of his birth name, which Poe thought was incredibly kind of them. Finn seemed to be more comfortable with it, after all.

Poe discovered that Ret and Lilla shared Finn’s unshakeable kindness and his sharp sense of humor, which came out while Finn was relaying the story of a mission where Poe and Finn had gotten into a tight spot with members of the same death gangs that Han Solo had run into when Finn had first met him. Their escape involved disguises and a speeder chase.

“I’m sure Poe was dashing in the polka dots,” Lilla said, eyes twinkling.

Finn shot Poe a smile. “I had to convince Poe to leave the robes behind. He wanted to keep them.”

Poe shook his head. “They were comfortable! You can’t find robes like that on a Resistance base.”

Poe really liked Finn’s parents. They were kind-hearted, honest, and they were planning to support the Resistance in any way they could.

“Do you need money? Ships?” Ret asked, sipping his white wine and leaning back slightly in his chair. “We are willing to give the Resistance whatever it needs, especially for our son and Leia Organa.”

“We need to get in touch with General Organa now that we know we have your support. She might have some specific requests, but I can’t imagine it being much more than her original proposition.” Poe thought about the Sentinels and Guides in the First Order and decided he’d ask Finn about that later, to see if he wanted to get the king and queen’s help.

Ret nodded. “When you do, let us know.” He sighed and turned to Finn. “Finn, I know you’re busy, being a hardworking member of the Resistance, but Lilla and I would love to get to know our son better. If you ever want to visit us here in Chandra, you are always welcome, you and Poe both.”

Finn smiled and grabbed Poe’s hand. “Thank you,” he said, voice soft. “I’ve always wondered where I’m from, and you guys are more than I could have hoped for. So much more.”

There were tears in Lilla’s eyes, and both of them were smiling. “We’re so glad you came here, Finn,” Lilla said, reaching out and touching their joint hands. “We always thought you had to be out there, somewhere. To have you back is like something out of a dream.”

They said their goodbyes to the king and queen as the sun set beyond the mountains. Poe gave the newly reconnected family some space to talk. He stood between the willow trees and could feel Finn’s happiness and wonder through their connection, and his heart felt lighter than it had in months. Poe breathed in the clean, sweet air and wondered if Finn was still next in line for the throne and what that would mean for Finn’s life. Even if he was, would Finn take that responsibility? Poe couldn’t imagine Finn desiring that sort of power, but this planet was his home and the throne was his birthright. Finn had a good heart and a strong will, and Poe knew he could be a great leader.

Finn placed a hand on the small of Poe’s back as he came up behind him. “You still have to contact General Organa tonight, right?”

Poe nodded. “She wanted to know as soon as we talked to the king and queen.” Poe glanced at Finn, who seemed at ease, facial expression soft and mind clear. “We should probably let her know that they’re your parents.”

Finn nodded. “That makes sense.”

As they walked back to the inn, Poe kept expecting some sort of reaction from Finn, some sort of outburst of happiness or excitement, but he remained silent as they walked along at an even, easy pace. Poe could sense something bubbling in his mind, but Finn kept it under the surface.

It wasn’t until they got into their room that Finn sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. “Poe, my birth name is Theda Sianra. Those were my _parents_.”

Poe sat down next to him. “You’re royalty, buddy.”

Finn let out a wordless, overwhelmed sound. Poe rubbed a hand across his back in what he hoped was a soothing pattern. “Your parents seem like great people, your home planet is beautiful, and you found them again. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s _wonderful_ , Finn.”

“I know. I just need some time to… adjust, I guess.”

Poe squeezed Finn’s arm affectionately. “I’m going to send a message to General Organa, and then probably get a shower. Rest or read or something. I’ll be in bed shortly.”

Finn nodded and sprawled back on the bed with a heavy sigh.

Poe sent the message to Organa, catching her up on everything that had happened on Doman since he had last contacted her. A lot had happened.

Finn had encouraged other Sentinels and Guides to defect from the First Order by being the first to defect. Finn had gone from an ex-Stormtrooper, without a home planet or parents, to the long-lost son of the royal family of Doman. The mission had been successful. Cutting the message small enough to transmit over the long distance to the Resistance base was difficult.

After sending the transmission, Poe yawed and trudged into the ‘fresher to use the shower. Their orders were to talk to the royals and then make their way back to the Resistance base for their next mission, but things had just gotten much more complicated. Would they be able to leave right away? Poe wasn’t sure.

When he made it back into the bedroom, Finn was simply staring up at the ceiling, one arm tucked behind his head. Poe made his way over to him and sat on the side of the bed.

“You alright there, buddy?”

Finn blinked up at him and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”

“You handled all of that remarkably well, you know,” Poe said.

“Thanks. I considered bolting at first.”

Poe chuckled. “ _That_ would have been a scene.”

“I probably would have tripped over my robes and fell flat on my face in front of the… in front of my parents.” Finn made a face. “That sounds weird.”

Poe laid down next to him, shifting onto his side so he could watch Finn’s face. “After we report back in to General Organa, whatever we do next can be your decision. If you want to come back here to be with your parents, that’s wonderful. If you don’t, that’s also perfectly alright. I want this to be your choice.”

Finn turned so he could look at Poe. “I honestly don’t know what I want at this point.” He sighed. “I know I want to help those Sentinels and Guides in the First Order. But I don’t know if I want to stay on this planet.”

“You know, I think Ret and Lilla would be a great resource. They could help direct Sentinels and Guides if they escape to this planet. Do you remember Trell talking about starting a network of Sentinels and Guides? Imagine if the king and queen of this planet were the center of it.”

Finn nodded. “That does sound nice.”

“Just think about it,” Poe said after a few moments. “You don’t have to come up with a decision now.”

“How are you so levelheaded?” Finn asked, shaking his head. “I’m supposed to be the levelheaded one. I’m the Guide.”

“I promise you, buddy, if I was in this situation you’d be using your calming powers on me or I’d be a hot mess.”

Finn leaned forward and kissed him softly. They had a lot of decisions to make moving forward, but it seemed like their future was looking up. For once, it felt like they were on a path to begin easing some of the suffering that lurked within the First Order. It was a good place to be in. Sure, the First Order was lurking right around the corner, and the Resistance had little to no idea when they would strike again, but this planet had offered them a glimpse of hope that had been lacking before. Tomorrow, they would head back to the Resistance base and organize their next steps with General Organa.

But that was tomorrow.

Poe pulled back just far enough that he could see Finn’s face and grinned wickedly. “So, Prince Finn, Guide of my heart. What can I do for you?”

Finn pushed his Sentinel back against the bedclothes and leaned over him with a smile of his own. “I have a few ideas.”

**Author's Note:**

> There may be more to this series in the future! 
> 
> Follow me on [tumblr](http://thevulcanpresident.tumblr.com)


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